Dana bickfor d



nAnAricKronD, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

ineaoveinenr n surmise-amenities.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,886, dated May 4, 1875; application filed March 6, 1874. H r

To all wkom it may concern:

Be it known that L'D'ANA BICKFORD, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Iumroved Family Knitting-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled inthe art to practice it. i v I Figure 1 is a perspective view of a Biclc ford family knitting-machine with my present improvements thereon. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, showing my novelties int-he'coustruction of the cam and cam-switches. I

My present improvements consist in the employment of wing cams or switches in combination wit-ha draw-down cam andthe needle-cylinder-these wing-cams being opena'ted by the butts of the needles, by friction between them and the needlehylinder, or'by springs; in so locating the switch-cams that they are adapted to rise and fall at their outer ends; in combining with the rotary cylinder a driving-handle and a bobbin or spool frame or standwhich shall run coincidently with it and with the thread-guide, and in other particulars hereinafter named.

In the drawings, A is the frame; B, the vertically-grooved i'ieedle-cylinder; O, the revolvingor cam cylinder; 1), the yarn carrier, secured to the shiftingthread-carrier ring'd; and E, the spool or bobbinframe or stand, shown in this instance as secured to and carried by the yarn-carrier, so that these two devices always occupy the same relative position toward each other .under all conditions, as distinguished from the usual construction, in which the spool is on a stationary part of the frame, while the carrier revolves, and consequently, at every revolution, recedes from and approaches it. 1

By my present construction itwill be seen that no take-up, device of any sort is needed, and there can be no undue delivery of yarn, no slack thread in the Way to do damage, and, not-angling of the yarn, especially ifmore spools than one be used, while the tension of the yarn remains'as nearly as may be uniform, thus producing better work. The

"'ing'; the usual crank and spool-frame may be secured to the revolving cylinder or to the thread-carrier ring, instead of to the carrier itself, if desired.

F' is an arm fastened removably or otherwise to the'cain-cylinder, for driving; the machine byhand without the use. of any gearing, as will presently be described, although I have, for convenience, illustrated a machine having also thereon the customary gearing, as I preferto build the machines so that they may be driven either way at option, though the gearing may be entirely dispensed .with. A loose handle, G, on this arm sci-yes for convenience in driving the machine. The camcylinder rests snugly in or on an annular bed on the frame A, so as readily and uoiseles'sly to be revolved thereon. It will now be seen that with this construction and mode of drivwheel and its frame, the opening in the main frame to admit a part of such gear, and the circular series of gear-teeth on the main frame, may all, if desired, be dispensed with, thus bringing afainily machine down to a simpler form, it is believe(l,-tl ian.was ,ever' yet done. Instead of making the arm F in a single rigid piece, as shown, it. may be made jointed or hinged, so that when not in use it may be folded down out of the way. This handle does not in any way impede the work or the piayof the needles, nor can it come in contact with the yarn, as it might do. ifmy spoolfram'e were stationary. placed in any desired position on the cylinder, as well asin theposition shown. Isometimes place the handle immediately back of the thread-carrier, or attach them together in that relative position, so --that .in reversing the movel'nentrif the machine it'shall swing-in a portion. ofv an arc, and shift or change the cams or switches. I mayhem-remark that [if the needle-cylinder, instead of the camcylinder, should be revoived,'then the driving handle would, of course, be affixed thereon. The cam-switchesor wing-cams are shown at BB", and-it will be seen that they'are so located as always to be below the lowest point, of the needle, and not, as customary, on the upper sideof the cam-groove. This or these .wiugcams are located in the lower edge of the cam-groove or needle-rest, or directly below it, and are pivoted, jointed, or hinged to the driving 'ge The handle may be' the yoke.Y,.or lower section of the cam or part that forms'the' needle-guide, below the stitch or draw-down cams, so that-in turning the machine the end or face .9 of the wingcam is presented to the action of ,thebutts of back to place; but if it should fail to do so,

the side t of this cam occupies such a position "that a number of needle-butts bearing on it *at the same period of time will, by their united force and weight, carry it back to place.-

Persons skilled in theiart will readily perceive that these wing-cams can also be'made'automatic l'vy'applying a spring under or to them, as at K, and serving to completely lift'them, or to assist the friction exerted by the-needles in lifting them. The screw I, as shown, works in an arched or curved slot, z, and this screw can be used to fasten the cam up or down when required. These wing-cams throw the needles up the whole distan'cerequired,being always below the groove or the butts of the Y needles. The outer parts a u of the guides U are for guidingthe needles .down, so that they will act properly on the wing-cams, and

their inner parts a a guide the needles down onto the switch-cam K. The outer ends a u may be made larger or smaller, as circumstances may require.

It is very desirable, when a machine is stopped, especially if unfinished work be left upon it, that it shall'notbe meddled with by otlicious or inexperienced persons, and the work damaged or ruiued. Now, by the' constrnction shown, It will be seen that on stopping the machine, if both switches'H H, by means ot'othe adjusting thumb-screws I 1, be lowered to their lowest position, then no meddler who may put the machine in motion can dnany damage thereby to the knitted fabric, because the needles will not be raised high enough by the switchrcam'to free the latch and throw off th'e'loop. -When' the lower wall of the cam-groove is permanent and unchangeable, as in the most ordinary-construction, or when the switches are above instead of below, it will be seen that the needlesmust inevitably, at each revolution, rise. to the height to which such wall or switches compel them, and that it is impossible to avoid the freeing of the latch, the lift ofthe latch, and

the throwingofl' of the loop. With the construction herein shown. the machine absolutely refuses to take a stitch until the intelligent operator who has stopped .work, and lowered the switches, shall afterward raise them to resume again. Another advantage due to this feature is as follows: When making continuous tubing by revolving in one direction only, the rear cam can be swung down out of operation, and thus the unnecessaly wear of the parts and useless rising and falling and wear of the needles, and flying up of the latch, and improper throwing 'ofi' the stitch, can be avoided. Upon putting down both cams, an almost endless variety of novel fancy stitches and fabrics may be formed by simply raising certain needles, (by hand or otherwise,) so as to bring them into action for the moment, and'then letting them drop out of action again. These cams may be automatic bysimply putting a spring under them to press them upward. Ingoing one way,

(forward,) theforward cam would be pressed upward into position by the lifting friction of the butt of the needle, assisted by thespring; but the back cam, as the needles, (more 'in number,) pass over it, won Id be by them. pressed down, so that the latch would not be freed. K is a vertically-adjustshie cam-plate for lengthel'ling or shortening the stitch, con

.trolled as to position by the thumb-screw L,

a pointer, l, moving therewith, and a short scale, m, on the cam-cylinderindicating to the eye externally the degree of such adjustment. N N are the usual fixed pieces on the cam- .'cylinder, actingin connection with pins a a on the frame to shift the thread-carrier to the opposite side of the cams on reversing the motion, that the thread may be in advance of the rising and falling needles. 0 is the claspring, the inner edge of which fits into the annular groove'of the needle-cylinder, as in one of my former patents. It is hinged at its cehter, as customary, and held by a springpiece and pin, 1) q. On the upper surface of this clasp-ring I make a scale extending about half-way around, as shown. 1 have shownit divided'into a hundred parts, subdivided into' fives, tens, 85c. On-the angular outer edge of this rmgl make a corresponding number of notches, andon the non-revolving cylinder may be placed a spring or click, or equivalent device, which, by means of a pin on the revolving cylinder, shall, at each revolution thereof, be struck and actuated, so as to move forward one 'notch on the edge of the ring, thus registering each revolution and each course of-knitting. The ring should, for this purpose, be so held to one of the-cylinders, by friction orotherwise, as not to move.

I claim-,-

to rise and fall at their outer ends, snbstantiall-y as and for the purpose set forth, in combination with a stitch or draw-down cam and the needle-cylinder. v v

2. The wing-cams actuated by springs, in

-combi'nation with guides a a, which serve to guide the needles to the draw-down cam, 'substa-ntiall y as shown an'd'described. I v 3. The win g-cams, adapted to be actuated by the butts of the needles, incombination with guides to u, needle-cylinder, and cam-plate.

1. Thewing or switch cams H 11, adapted I thread-guide and spool-carrier, which auto n atioally, upon reversing the machine properly, change their positionrelatively to the needleoperating cums. 7

5.- In combination with the rotary reversihle cylinder of a family knitting-machine, a bobbin or spool frame or stand and athroac guide, substantially as described, the combination being such that such frame or stand shall revolve eoinoidently with it and with the thread-guide, and upon reversing shzill properly shift its position with the threzuiguide.

DANA BIGKFORD. Witnesses W. BRADFORD,

.RD. A. HYDE. 

